This invention relates to containers for obtaining liquid samples. More specifically, the invention describes a protective housing unit for a liquid sample container.
In a chemical plant it is an every day routine to sample various liquid chemicals for product analysis. A common technique for collecting the sample is for an operator to manually drain a small amount of the liquid from a line or a tank into a container, such as a bottle. Frequently, the sample is a highly corrosive and/or a toxic material, which is obtained directly from an open line at a point immediately beyond a sample valve. There are obvious disadvantages in obtaining samples of hazardous chemicals from an open line. For example, the operator must frequently wear special clothing and equipment to protect himself from escaping vapors and spilled liquid.
One attempt to make this procedure safer has involved enclosing the sample container in a rectangular box. On one side the box has a hinged door, for removing the sample container. The door also includes a window for observing filling of the container. These box enclosures are usually constructed of heavy rigid materials, such as wood, metal alloys, or heavy plastic resin materials. A major disadvantage of this type of enclosure is the high cost of the construction. Another drawback is that fabrication of the enclosure is difficult and time-consuming.